Chapter 3: My Girlfriend, Claire
420 Words
Leo had slipped into my life so easily that even Claire didn’t notice.
She came over late that evening, saying she needed to pick up my insurance documents. “The clinic asked for a scanned copy of your health paperwork,” she explained as I opened the door. Before I could even respond, she leaned in and kissed me, her smile as bright as ever. “You were amazing today,” she said, pulling off her jacket. “The way you helped that old lady with her watercolors—so sweet.”
My breath caught. “What?”
She paused. “You’re not pretending to forget again, are you?”
I forced a smile, but my stomach twisted. That wasn’t me. That was him.
Claire curled up on the couch beside me, resting her head on my shoulder. “You’ve been different lately,”
She said softly. “More patience. Thoughtful.”
I looked at her. Really looked at her. The woman I loved. And she was falling for him.
The next morning, I returned to the care home under the pretense of delivering something I’d forgotten. I
I needed to see it with my own eyes.
Leo was there, laughing with the staff, wearing my clothes, smiling my smile. Claire was filming nearby,
interviewing one of the residents.
I stayed in the shadows, just close enough to hear them.
“You two are a sweet couple,” the old woman said.
Claire laughed. “We’ve had our ups and downs. But lately… he’s been incredible.”
Leo’s voice chimed in: “She keeps me on my toes.”
They laughed together.
It was unbearable.
I stepped back, heart pounding, ready to turn away when a voice called out, “Liam?”
I turned. Claire stood there, holding her camera. “What are you doing back here?”
My mouth went dry. “I… came to get my insurance documents.”
She frowned. “You already picked it up this morning.”
Right. Of course he did.
“I mean…” I stumbled, “I just wanted to see you.”
Her eyes softened, but there was confusion beneath. “You’ve been so different lately. It’s like… you’re two
different people.”
If only she knew.
She reached out and touched my arm. “Let’s have dinner tonight, okay? Just the two of us.”I nodded numbly.
But as I walked away, her words echoed in my mind.
Two different people.
If only she knew how right she was.
- Writer
